Calipari Coaching Tree

[FiveStarCat]

I saw some tweets about this and thought it would be an interesting discussion here. Not looking to pile with Cal because he clearly had some magic from mid 90s through late 2010s but it’s insane to me that his coaching tree is so barren.

Josh Pastner is his most successful assistant in terms of HC success and I would not categorize him as a Cal guy given he was on staff for one year.

After that you have Payne, Barbee, Antigua, Flint, Kellogg… no offense to those guys but I don’t even think you could categorize them as even mediocre head coaches.

So how does one of the most successful coaches in this era not have any coaching tree to speak of? I don’t think “he only won because of talent” is it, although that’s part of it. To me it probably points to his something in his personality or DNA and not giving up control on anything with his programs, stunting the growth of his assistants.

Would love to hear some thoughts/theories on this because I think it’s a pretty glaring anomaly that says something (what I don’t know) about Cal, for better or worse.

 

[BlueBomb]

If Cal can't teach the players much, he can't teach the coaches anything either.

 

[ganner918]

The Calipari coaching tree is a dried up shrub

 

[jedwar]

It really is remarkable to have coached as long as he did and have much success, he does not have that coaching tree. No even a branch.

 

[ukcatz12]

I've never understood this talking point. A lot of great coaches have awful coaching trees.

 

[LordEggForgotHisPassword]

 

[CastleRubric]

Coach Pitino had a crazy, fruitful vibrant coaching tree

Billy Donovan
Tubby Smith
Jim O'Brian
Herb Sndek ?

Maybe another one or two?

Theres 3 national titles in his protégé's right??

 

[YardCat]

The Calipari coaching tree is a dried up shrub

He is hoping Brad can lead the charge since he’s earned it!

 

[CatPatrick13]

Coach Pitino had a crazy, fruitful vibrant coaching tree

Billy Donovan
Tubby Smith
Jim O'Brian
Herb Sndek ?

Maybe another one or two?

Theres 3 national titles in his protégé's right?

Mick Cronin and the guy who coached atPitt for a while.. name escapes me..

 

[Supafuzz75]

The Calipari coaching tree is a dried up shrub

The Whittakers of West Virginia have a better tree..

 

[colonelcat78]

Coach Pitino had a crazy, fruitful vibrant coaching tree

Billy Donovan
Tubby Smith
Jim O'Brian
Herb Sndek ?

Maybe another one or two?

Theres 3 national titles in his protégé's right??

Jeff Van Gundy

 

[Cats192]

I saw some tweets about this and thought it would be an interesting discussion here. Not looking to pile with Cal because he clearly had some magic from mid 90s through late 2010s but it’s insane to me that his coaching tree is so barren.

Josh Pastner is his most successful assistant in terms of HC success and I would not categorize him as a Cal guy given he was on staff for one year.

After that you have Payne, Barbee, Antigua, Flint, Kellogg… no offense to those guys but I don’t even think you could categorize them as even mediocre head coaches.

So how does one of the most successful coaches in this era not have any coaching tree to speak of? I don’t think “he only won because of talent” is it, although that’s part of it. To me it probably points to his something in his personality or DNA and not giving up control on anything with his programs, stunting the growth of his assistants.

Would love to hear some thoughts/theories on this because I think it’s a pretty glaring anomaly that says something (what I don’t know) about Cal, for better or worse.

This is most of it, unfortunately.

Calipari was a very good basketball coach in an era where the game involved beating your man 1 on 1 and making a play from there. He got the best players. He could coach that style of ball. He was a good game manager for the most part, though we certainly lost some games because he took his foot off the gas. He didn't run any advanced offense or sets. We weren't getting easy buckets because of play design.

So imagine you're Tony Barbee or Kenny Payne. Your basketball style from Cal and Kentucky is needing your best player to beat their man time and time again. And now, you're not getting the best players to where they can consistently do that. You didn't come up designing plays and sets to create easy looks.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

I've never understood this talking point. A lot of great coaches have awful coaching trees.

I don't agree. Most hall of famers have at least a decent tree. Cal literally has noone.

Pretty crazy that robic basically ran everything while cal employed recruiters and pals.

 

[will1976]

Coach Pitino had a crazy, fruitful vibrant coaching tree

Billy Donovan
Tubby Smith
Jim O'Brian
Herb Sndek ?

Maybe another one or two?

Theres 3 national titles in his protégé's right??

Marvin Menzies as well.

 

[catman15]

He is hoping Brad can lead the charge since he’s earned it!

Take it easy on Brad. He goes out there and gets that Frankenstein fade cut everytime he goes to the barber and that takes guts

 

[katwest]

Coach Pitino had a crazy, fruitful vibrant coaching tree

Billy Donovan
Tubby Smith
Jim O'Brian
Herb Sndek ?

Maybe another one or two?

Theres 3 national titles in his protégé's right??

Ralph Willard

 

[bbncal02]

The Cal Coaching Tree:

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Ralph Willard

And Frank Vogel

 

[rick64]

And Frank Vogel

Then former players who became D1 coaches. Pope, Pelphrey, Ford....who else are we missing?

 

[jeffky]

I saw some tweets about this and thought it would be an interesting discussion here. Not looking to pile with Cal because he clearly had some magic from mid 90s through late 2010s but it’s insane to me that his coaching tree is so barren.

Josh Pastner is his most successful assistant in terms of HC success and I would not categorize him as a Cal guy given he was on staff for one year.

After that you have Payne, Barbee, Antigua, Flint, Kellogg… no offense to those guys but I don’t even think you could categorize them as even mediocre head coaches.

So how does one of the most successful coaches in this era not have any coaching tree to speak of? I don’t think “he only won because of talent” is it, although that’s part of it. To me it probably points to his something in his personality or DNA and not giving up control on anything with his programs, stunting the growth of his assistants.

Would love to hear some thoughts/theories on this because I think it’s a pretty glaring anomaly that says something (what I don’t know) about Cal, for better or worse.

Oh boy another calipari thread

 

[NociHTTP]

They're at Arky and you can count them on one foot . THIS LITTLE PIGGY

 

[FiveStarCat]

On the flip side, maybe this is a compliment since Cal was rawdogging with some elite teams with absolutely no hidden coaching gems in his midst. Just trying to play devils advocate

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Then former players who became D1 coaches. Pope, Pelphrey, Ford....who else are we missing?

And Pitino is from the Hubie Brown tree.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

On the flip side, maybe this is a compliment since Cal was rawdogging with some elite teams with absolutely no hidden coaching gems in his midst. Just trying to play devils advocate

There’s that. 800 plus wins. 6 FF’s. 1 title. In the HoF.

With no help?😜

 

[fatguy87]

I liken it to the Charlie Brown Christmas tree

 

[JrandoUK]

If Cal can't teach the players much, he can't teach the coaches anything either.

Hit nail on head! For most part Cal has had the best of best and just let them do their thing! Thus 1 natty in all his years of coaching and talent he had!
His assistant are all just yes men who draw a paycheck and aren’t good teachers of the game either…

 

[sambowieshin]

Cal's coaching tree is a stump.

 

[DraftCat]

Cal didn't coach he just had an edge. Once everyone started copying his strategy he was a dead man walking.

 

[bbncal02]

Hit nail on head! For most part Cal has had the best of best and just let them do their thing! Thus 1 natty in all his years of coaching and talent he had!
His assistant are all just yes men who draw a paycheck and aren’t good teachers of the game either…

I think KP is probably a decent teacher of the game; dude just isn't meant to be a HC. We saw that first hand. I'd like to see him take another shot at it at a smaller school, a solid mid-major somewhere.

 

[littlecreek]

His coaching tree is like the fig tree in the Bible that wasn't producing fruit. Jesus looked at it and cursed it and it withered up.

 

[CastleRubric]

It IS an interesting angle to consider and review

And I think having those successful protégés does indicate some aspect of successful / effective management / teaching occurring under the papa bear coach

Obviously it doesn't mean that a coach is or isn't successful in their own right -

BUT a successful coach who has also spawned other successful coaches is just that much bigger of a force / footprint within their sport

Yall mentioned others for Pitino i had no idea about - namely VanG

Knight spawned Coach K
Anyone else?

Coach K has had players move into coaching - but im not up on how successful they've been

Coach Hall? --> Leonard Hamilton

 

[fabcat]

Coach Pitino had a crazy, fruitful vibrant coaching tree

Billy Donovan
Tubby Smith
Jim O'Brian
Herb Sndek ?

Maybe another one or two?

Theres 3 national titles in his protégé's right??

Ralph Willard
Kevin Willard

 

[Pygmy Sasquatch]

 

[JLucky1]

Scotty Davenport is underrated coach. Beat Kenny Payne at Bellarmine